Marlon’s mayoral forum, a retrospective

Well, almost as scheduled. Only two of the seven candidates showed up: Democrat Marlon Anderson, the event’s organizer, and Republican Nathan Lebron.

What the others missed was what we’ll call a mostly sincere discussion about the issues in the race, which is what Anderson — who detractors tend to dismiss because of his demeanor (at one point he paused to and surveyed the room to make sure he didn’t “date myself in front of any young girls that I might want to date”) and dress — ultimately wanted. He chastised the other five candidates for not “deigning” to show up.

(Admittedly, we were 45 minutes late ourselves.)

The crowd of about 10 people heard Anderson (and it was mostly Anderson) rail against the lack of youth resources in the community and the lackluster response in the wake of Kathina Thomas’ murder that steered money to gun buy-back programs but not community centers.

“It’s been a year since Kathina Thomas died,” Anderson said. “What have they done of substance in the community to change things for you?”

Anderson

He emphatically added: “A brand new community center will do more to bring the crime rate down in the urban areas than a regiment of new police officers.”

His typical bravado, however, at times distracted from his message. At one point, he personally took credit for the Albany schools budget that cut $3 million this year, saying: “I led the school board to that decision … I’ve brought the budget down. I’ve cut taxes.”

(Note, while the budget decreased, the tax levy didn’t.)

He also revealed for the first time (that we’re aware of, anyway) some insight into what motivates him. He told the crowd he has two nephews in prison who ended up there because the schools and the city failed them.

Lebron, drawing on his experience growing up in Harlem, said he believes the schools can serve as a “pipeline” to steer youth into programs.

Anderson’s position on the violence issue, like his position on the landfill problem (it should be closed immediately and the shuttered ANSWERS trash incinerator should be re-opened in a clean, safe way) was grand in scope but thin on specifics. (“The worst thing that happened to our waste system was the closing of the ANSWERS plant in downtown Albany. … Basically, we traded one environmental problem for another.”)

The audience heard Lebron stake out more measured — and seemingly attainable — positions. Promising a comprehensive announcement soon, Lebron declined to say what he believed the future of waste disposal in the city should be but said he opposes the expansion of the Rapp Road landfill (which now seems almost certain).

Unlike Anderson, who said he would immediately call on the state Board of Regents to issue moratorium on charter schools in Albany, Lebron said he sees the value they can provide but noted the problem in Albany is that proliferated too fast.

“They went crazy in the city with charter schools — they just built so many,” Lebron said.

Anderson said he believes the city already has more than enough money to educate its students but said “the school district is in crisis” in part because of the drain from charter schools.

Lebron, meanwhile, suggested the city should publicly disclose emergency response times in different city neighborhoods like New York City does every year.

Both were critical of their opponents — Shawn Morris and Corey Ellis — who serve on the Common Council. In part, they said, the Common Council’s relative weakness compared to the mayor is used as an excuse for not accomplishing anything.

Anderson said he will gather the needed 1,000 signatures to get on the ballot. In fact, he promised to get 2,000.

“I am not really concerned with that. It’s not a major issue,” he said.

Lebron, perhaps in embracing the underdog status that being a Republican in Albany, where there are 11 times more Democrats, smiled and noted he only needs about 170.

Anderson said he hopes to hold another forum in the next 30 days. For more information on Anderson, go here. For more information on Lebron, go here.

Jordan Carleo-Evangelist

48 Responses

FirstDadsAreYouthResources – I read Lebron’s bio online and when exactly did he help destroy Harlem, in his mamas belly, while dying of cancer as a teenager or living in a group home. I don’t see your timeline. I grant you that Albany is no Harlem but he grew up in Puerto Rico and the Bronx so you even got that wrong. I think your poorly constructed point is that Albany is no NYC, fair.

I think the article clearly states that Marlon was the one talking about community centers not Lebron. I would like to know what he meant by pipeline though.

Here is an idea for you, first learn to READ and WRITE, emphasis on the reading. Literacy Volunteers of America has great programs for you. RIF, Reading is Fundamental. A little college might do you some good.

LettuceBee – As far as the emergencies issue is concerned, did you run your observation that this city does not need to review their response time by the parents of the kid (Cocco I think) who DIED and took the ambulance 25 MINUTES to get there? I am sure his parents might agree with him more than you. If I need those services I want them there quickly. Lebron is right on with that one.

SillyGov – I am the wrong color to be racist. How racist of you to assume I am a racist! Just messed you up with that circular logic, right? A Tan Sprayer is what I call Jerry Jennings (JJ) supporters (I know its Gerry but people keep misspelling it and so have I). So you read the other stuff I wrote but not that? WOW, again RIF! BuenosAires wrote that they are dumb and dumber, so when are you going to go after him/her for insulting the mentally retarded?

His comment about gauging is pretty insightful. But you are probably the type of person that would drive down Central ave, see a pothole, drive into it anyway and then blame the mayor for doing nothing and Lebron for not warning you even though he did. Pick your beef and stick to it. I also like that he spelled gauge right. Admit it, you thought it was spelled “gage” right?!

Marlon – I think this motley crew of Gumps made your point that schools are failing. I didn’t think schools were bad but I am wrong. Right on my brotha! REHD in Da HOUSE!

AnyOneButTheseTwo – Sorry, I had to comment. You have an extended infinitive in one of your sentences and a misplaced semi-colon. Take your advice and improve your writing.

CantBelieve- Carleo-Evangelist is Jeff Sapperstone’s twin brother. I have my own identity and don’t go by anything else. When have you ever seen me write in italics, drop hip-hop lyrics or capitalize my A’s? RIF!

Jordan – Do you know how to throw a fast ball? Los Mets can use you.

From JCE:I’m a Yankees fan, so I’d sooner eat a peanut butter and pine tar sandwich.

I wanted to take time to clarify some things that apparently has created a bit of confusion.

I was born in Harlem in 1971 moved with my grandmother to Puerto Rico when I was 4 and got reunited with my mother in The Bronx when I was 10. The rest of that story is in the About Me section of my website. I felt it was important to clarify my childhood a bit since being accused of destroying anything is unfair considering I was a child.

There was also some confusion about my professional and academic credentials so I would like to clear it up. In 2002 I began taking graduate courses at Harvard. Since the program is about 50% technology and 50% business, I was able to take one course online and one on site per term. This gave me the ability to only have to travel to Cambridge once per week. In 2003 I accepted a position in Cooperstown at The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum as an IS Director. Since I was still pursuing my Masters degree, I decided to stay put in Albany. Geographically it allowed me to work and go to school part-time. The management at The Hall was gracious enough to give me the time off to travel to Cambridge. In 2006 I completed my degree and stayed in Albany while entertaining other career options in information technology. In 2008 I accepted a position with a local technology firm based in Colonie. During my commute to Cooperstown I averaged about 30,000 miles per year on my car not to mention a small fortune on gas!

I have never been a security guard or an actor (there is an actor also named Nathan Lebron). While doing my undergrad at UAlbany (started in 1989) I would spend my summers in The Bronx and Allendale, NJ. The agency that operated my group home was based in Blauvelt, Rockland County so yes, I have been to Nyack, Haverstraw and even Valley Cottage. I do have family in Florida but nowhere near Sanford.

While I did internships during those summers in Manhattan, my full time career began in the area at GE. I have had no reason to leave or live elsewhere. With the exception of those summer interships I have lived in Albany and nowhere else. I am 38 and been here since I was 18. I have spent most of my life in Albany. I love living in Albany and it has become my city.

Please visit my website to find more information about me and the campaign.

AlbanyCommonSense has got to be a BIG RACIST; he obviously HATES “WHITE PEOPLE” with a passion. And his attacks on the bloggers, especially the linguistic ones, demonstrate his educational inability for write and spell; and so he appears to be not only a BIG RACIST, but his writings are DOPEY too!!!

After reading these comments, I wouldn’t vote for Marlon Anderson. AlbanyCommonSense has more problems writing than the people he attempted to criticize, and AlbanyCommonSense’s support of Marlon Anderson constitutes just one more reason that neither I, nor any of my family members or any of my friends would ever vote for him! FirstDadsAreYouthResources writes better than AlbanyCommonSense. LettucBee’s comments are correct and the poor little boy who died wan’t in the ghetto. SillyGov’s comments are especially good, but where did AlbanyCommonSense have the idiocy to believe the is the “wrong color” to be a racist. AnyOneButTheseTwo is a much better writer than AlbanyCommonSense (AlbanyCommonStench’s comment is correct). The comments about Can’tBelieve make no sense. Why call them “LOS” Mets? How about using the more common English “THE”. The comment about TruthfulJusticeForEveryone appears to show that AlbanyCommonSense is a hypocrite who, while complaining that TruthfulJustice stereotypes hispanics, goes on the stereotype hispanics by saying they don’t hyphenate. I’m hispanic and my family hyphenates. Vote for anyone but Marlon Anderson or anyone AlbanyCommonSense supports.

If firstdads writes better than me,
then Jiminy is as hispanic as JCE.

JJ- My point about hyphenating was meant to show how ignorant and absurd that whole point was. Jackie Joyner-Kersie in this person’s opinion is what, Dominican, Panamanian? Again just absurd.

So it is OK for a white kid to not be tended to but wrong if it happens in the ghetto. RIF. THE WHOLE CITY IS NOT GETTING ADEQUATE FIRST RESPONSE SERVICE. It is irrelevant where it happens. You can even get that, right?

According to some experts only whites can be racist because only whites have the power to institutionalize racist policies. Personally I think that’s bs and anyone can be a racist, so again, showing abusrdity by being absurd.

Watch a ball game once in a while. LosMets.com Got to see the Yankees teach Los Mets how play baseball and saw the website behind the catcher. You apparently don’t know what satirical humor is.

I am not supporting Marlon, yet. I like Lebron and love his story. He is a unique American and Latino success story that I am sure hispanics would like but the intelligencia, like you, will hate.

As far as writing is concerned, I am not touting my writing abilities. I am a math and science guy so writing was never my strongest. But I hate when someone with writing errors criticizes someone else’s. Has always been a beef with me. FirstDads, while not well constructed, did get the point across.

¡Voten por Lebron por que no tiene una gorra roja!
Vote for Lebron because he does not have a red hat!

As a registered Democrat, I also like what I’ve heard from and read about Mr. LeBron… I would love to see some new blood come into Albany City politics and make some positive changes. This is supposed to be the capital of NYS and it lacks so much, the only area that Mayor Jennings has concentrated on is downtown Albany, we have no new housing, the roads are horrible, and Albany High School is a disaster. I left Albany and moved back here and within two years time the city was totally over run with drug rehab facilities and a whole new downstate breed of people bringing with them the crime that has infested Albany. The mayor turns a blind eye to all these things, he’s only interested in building a new convention center. WHY?!!! We don’t even fill up the Times Union arena with any good acts. What a waste. Albany needs new blood in here….

jumpin jiminy, You are entitled to your opinion, but I hope you’d base it on the issues and my stance and indeas to address them and nothing else. And dee dee youre right. Downtown needs a full reorganization and A GIANT influx of retail which is what Ill create once Im elected. Iask you check my record regarding ll the issues you cite as of concern and then think about supporting me, because I have A better record of action on those issues than EVERY candidate!

#9, Brilliant, you do realize that 150 miles south of albany is in the middle of New York Bay. Though I’m sure you would be ok with the “let’s just put them all on an island or dispose of them” type of solution. I think that has been used in the past…..Think Germany, under a certain fascist.

Bob #9 is interesting. Just kill or exterminate anyone who thinks!!! and if you think differently, well, that is just crazy talk. All rhetoric aside, can’t we just agree and disagree without genociding anyone?

I read all of the comments here, especially Nos. 9, 43, and 44. Me thinks that DadsAreYouthResources who wrote No. 9 is very smart as well as honest and that he simply took the thinking of Little Nate and Snazzy Anderson to its logical conclusion. But Bob in No. 43 is a RACIST who simply labeled DadsAreYouthResources because he can’t face the truth. And AlbanyCommonSense makes no sense other than rejecting Bob’s call for extermination; seems AlbanyCommonSense is yet just another RACIST. DadsAreYouthResources in No. 9 has some of the BEST thoughts. But Jennings better get worried because the people he has always pacified, appeased and placated hate him and they may beat him out of Office if he is not careful. He better not underestimate Lebron, Anderson, Ellis, McLaughlin, and Faust because any one of them could unseat him!!!!!!!!!!! Then instead of just an untalented mayor, we’ll have a total incompetent like “former” Mayor Dinkins.

Thank you Mr. Lebron for correcting the record. Some people put too much faith in Google searches… At any rate, I left Albany because I didn’t want to pay the taxes, send my kids to those schools or deal with the Albany police officers I met over the years. It’s unfortunate because I, too, grew up downstate, moved to Albany as a young adult and fell in love with the city. But I pay half the taxes as my friends in Albany do and the school district here is outstanding. Let’s just say we don’t know a police officer stationed at this high school! I wish the best for the good people of Albany and I am convinced that Nathan is the guy who can turn it around. I hope everyone gives him serious consideration regardless of party! Go get ’em Nate.